Garbage disposal means



Sept; 17, 1963 SCHAFFLER ETAL 3,104,022

GARBAGE DISPOSAL MEANS Filed Deb. 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1 1

HVVENTUR.

Sept. 17, 1963 e. scHAFFLER ETAL 3,104,022

GARBAGE DISPOSAL MEANS Filed Dec. 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 17,1963 G. scHAFFLER ETAL 3,104,022

GARBAGE DISPOSAL MEANS Filed Dec. 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 q INVENTOR.G. Schaffler *K. Flt/2t] ATT'YS.

United States Patent 3,104,022 GARBAGE DISPOSAL MEANS Georg Schiifilerand Karl Fichtl, Augsburg, Germany, assignors to Keller & KnappichG.m.b.H., Augsburg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Dec. 8,1960, Ser. No. 74,539 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 7, 19602 Claims. (Cl. 214507) The invention concerns a vehicle for conveyingloose material more especially garbage. N

According to the present invention a vehicle for conveying loosematerial, more especially garbage, comprises a rotary drum serving as areceptacle and a closure cover retained at the rear of the chassis, atruncated cone, projecting into. the interior of the rotary drum,provided at the bottom with a charging aperture and having a singlehelical b aille on the outer surface thereof, which baflie is encircledby a plurality of parallel material engaging ribs arranged on the innerwall surface of the rotary drum, the helical bafile extending from theupper zenith of the cone in the region of the closure cover over thewhole lower charging aperture at the inner plane of the truncated coneand being radially widened so that its outer edge is equidistantlyspaced from the driving ribs which are of equal height from the innersurface of the rotary drum.

The effect of the invention is that after first loosely filling thereceptacle, garbage subsequently positioned against the rear receptaclecover on occurrence of a back-pressure is conveyed by the rotary actionof the material engaging ribs away from the charging aperture in anupward direction and in this way pressed forwardly into the annularchamber between the outer surface of the cone and the inner wall surfaceof the rotary drum, whereupon it then arrives at the upper zenith intothe operational range of the helical baflle and is subjected positivelyto an increasing compressive action thereagainst in the directiontowards the interior of the receptacle.

This compressive action extends approximately over somewhat more thanhalf a rotation in extent to the depth to which the cone projects intothe interior of the receptacle, the radial expansion of the bafflesurface increasing continuously since the material engaging ribs are ofequal height over their whole length and the outer edge of the bafiie isequidistant therefrom.- Since the garbage has no alternative but to passinto the interior of the receptacle, the charging aperture is constantlyempty and may be recharged without interruption.

The positive conveying and compression takes place in a constantlyuniform and continuous manner during the rotation of the receptacle. Itpermits an increase of compression to any extent permissible by thestrength of the cover and the available driving output. Even ongradients the receptacle is completely filled and the contentsconsolidated. Screw conveyors in the interior of the receptacle are nolonger required. They may possibly be employed for acceleratingdischarge in an anti-clockwise direction and corresponding direction ofconveying, quite a low height being suflicient, so that all in all theinvention also brings about a considerable simplification and loweringof costs.

A further feature consists in the fact that the material engaging ribsare staggered relative to the axis of the rotary drum in the conveyingdirection towards the interior of the receptacle. This not onlyfacilitates the conveying of the garbage into the interior of thereceptacle possibly in co-operation with a screw conveyor of equal pitcharranged in the interior of the receptacle, but also provides an obtuseangle and hence an open angle between the driving ribs and the helicalbaflie on the pressing cone.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal horizontal section of a receptacle constructedin accordance with the invention;

' FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line II of FIG. I seen from theinterior of the receptacle;

' FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a garbage vehicle showing a tiltablerotary drum in the discharging position;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of a garbage vehiclehaving a rotary drum conica'lly enlarged at the end;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a garbage vehicle in the form of anarticulated trailer;

FIG. 7 is a view of the same garbage vehicle as the one shown in FIG. 6but in the discharge position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective end view of the rear door and its associatedcone bafile and opening as viewed from the right in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view disclosing the relationship of the materialengaging ribs in the drum and the frustoconical member and itsassociated baflle carried by the rear door.

A rotary drum 1 is mounted on a chassis 2 for rotation about itslongitudinal axis on an axle 3 and roller bearings mounted in asupporting frame 4 (FIGS. 1 and 3); or only by means of roller bearingsmounted in a supporting frame 4 (FIGS. 6 and 7). These mounting systemsare not shown in further detail because they are known per se.

There is provided a conventional spur gear drive (not shown) including apinion concealed in the supporting frame 4, which may be driven in theexamples shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 via a cardan shaft or the like by ashaft mounted in the chassis, from the vehicle engine.

The rear opening end of the rotary drum 1 is closed by a cover 5 whichis retained on the chassis by means of the supporting 'frame 4 andhinged about a pivot 6 (FIGS. 3 and 7). A truncated cone 7 is mounted onthe cover 5 and projects into the interior of the rotary drum 1, theouter conical surface of the cone 7 having a helical baffle 8 mountedthereon which extends from the base S on the cover 5 slightly more thanto a point E ('FIG. 2) on an inner plane 9 of the truncated cone andhence has a pitch which extends around the described angular region overthe whole depth of the cone 7. Point E is so disposed that a chargingaperture 10 (shown in broken lines in FIG. 2) is concealed by thesection of the baffle 8 mounted thereover relative to the interior ofthe receptacle. The radial extension of the bafile 8 is smaller at S andwidens out up to the plane 9 of the truncated cone more in accordancewith the taper of the cone in such a manner that an outer edge 11constantly maintains an equal annular clearance from the inner wallsurface of the drum and the material engaging ribs 12 mounted thereon,which are of equal height over their whole length.

The ribs 12 extend beyond the depth of the cone and are so staggeredrelative to the axis of rotation of the drum that they extend furthestin the direction of rotation D at the outer edge of the rotary drum(FIG. 5). Thus the ribs 12 extend in a conveying direction relative tothe direction of rotation of the drum towards the interior of the drum,in the same manner as screw conveyors 13 which may, if desired, beprovided in the receptacle itself and are of low height. In thisstaggered formation the ribs 12, preferably of triangular cross-section,form an open obtuse angle a relative to the helical batiie 8 (FIG. 5).

FIG. 9 discloses diagrammatically the progression of 3 material from theopening 10 upwardly along the bafile 8 into engagement with the materialengaging ribs 12, and ultimately its distribution in the interior ofdrum 1 as the drum is rotated in the direction of the arrow, thematerial following the helical path indicated by the heavy broken arrow.

The ribs 12 may be provided in larger numbers than the screw conveyors13. In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the outer edge 11 ofthe bafile 8 is substantially circular; it is dilterent when the innerwall surface of the drum is flared outwardly in the cone region, asshown in FIG. 4, to obtain a lower ground level for the charging and tofacilitate charging, the device however may be employed under the sameconditions as described. I

The charging and compressing operation has already been described indetail. For discharging, the cover 5 with the cone 8 is swung out aboutthe pivot 6 (FIGS. 3 and 7). When the direction of rotation is reversed,the helices 13 facilitate the discharging operation. Further toaccelerate this operation a slight tilt of about 10 about a hinge 14(FIG. 3) by means of a hydraulic lifting device 15 and rod mechanism 16or about the rear axle (FIG. 7) in the case of an articulated vehicle,can provide a substantial increase in rapidity of discharge. Thecombination of the rotation for the discharge with the slight tiltprecludes noticeable gravity displacement on the rear axle. The screwconveyors 13 are of low height substantially equal to that of thematerial engaging ribs 12.

The device described, with simple means, permits con- 4 siderablecompression of the garbage in the collecting receptacle ensuring aconsiderably more intensive use of the loading space and weight.

What We claim is:

1. A vehicle for transporting refuse including an elongated rotatabledrum having an open rear end, a hinged door closing said open rear end,a truncated cone on said door projecting into said open end, materialengaging ribs fixed to the interior of said drum surrounding said conein angularly disposed relation to the axis of rotation of said drum, theangle of inclination being opposite to the direction of rotation of thedrum in an inward direction, and a fixed helical battle on said coneextend- 1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,753,135 Schuberth Apr. 1, 1930 1,863,964 Brenner June 21, 19322,690,270 Tilch et al. Sept. 28, 1954 2,704,161 Ogden "a c- Mar. 15,1955

1. A VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING REFUSE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED ROTATABLEDRUM HAVING AN OPEN REAR END, A HINGED DOOR CLOSING SAID OPEN REAR END,A TRUNCATED CONE ON SAID DOOR PROJECTING INTO SAID OPEN END, MATERIALENGAGING RIBS FIXED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DRUM SURROUNDING SAID CONEIN ANGULARLY DISPOSED RELATION TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID DRUM, THEANGLE OF INCLINATION BEING OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THEDRUM IN AN INWARD DIRECTION, AND A FIXED HELICAL BAFFLE ON SAID CONEEXTENDING FROM THE BASE TO THE PLANE OF TRUNCATION THEREOF AND